ACCRINGTON Stanley’s trip to high-flying Burton Albion provided a perfect lesson in the fine differences between a side challenging for promotion and one firmly in the middle of the table.

Eighteen days after beating the League Two leaders at home, John Coleman’s team produced another good performance but were punished for lapses by a clinical Brewers outfit and lost the game 3-0.

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The victory at the Store First Stadium saw the debut of Stanley’s 3-5-2 system and that was in place again in opposition to a back four for the home team.

And it was the visitors making early progress, with Sean Maguire dragging a shot wide of the post.

A short Josh Windass corner then found Kal Naismith, whose strike deflected off Robbie Weir and was turned around the post superbly by home goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin.

It was a closely fought opening but the breakthrough was made courtesy of a Burton penalty midway into the half.

Matty Palmer swung in a left wing free kick and rising in between the penalty spot and six-yard box was Rob Atkinson with arms raised.

Referee Carl Boyeson had no hesitation in awarding the spot kick, with left back Damian McCrory drilling it home to make it 1-0.

Naismith’s attempt to hit back immediately, with an improvised effort inside the area, flew over the bar and it was a one-goal deficit at the break.

John Coleman’s team immediately set about trying to change that and were only denied a penalty of their own when Naismith was fouled following up a shot from Terry Gornell, but the linesman’s flag was raised for offside.

Maguire then set McLaughlin scrambling when he rose to head Piero Mingoia’s cross goalwards, but the keeper did enough to repel the ball for a corner.

It was one-way traffic, with Windass only able to guide a free header from another Mingoia delivery off target before Maguire beat McLaughlin to the ball outside his area but was unable to find the net.

But Burton’s first shot on target of the second half, 16 minutes from the end, would prove decisive.

Matt Crooks had his pocket picked in the middle of the park by Palmer, he fed Adam McGurk and the Northern Irishman found Stuart Beavon inside the box.

The striker made no mistake, drilling the second goal home.

Gornell headed wide as the Reds looked to set up a grandstand finish but when sub Shay McCartan slipped and Weir nicked the ball to feed Palmer on the right it was over as a contest.

The winger cut in on to his left foot and found the net.

In terms of general play there was little to choose between the sides. But in the final third Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s showed why they are favourites to be playing League One football next season, and the kind of side that Stanley should aspire to be.